Fiction Review

Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, welcomed M.M. DeLuca to the bookstore. They talked about Durham, England, and Winnipeg, Canada before they talked about DeLuca’s latest book, The Night Side. You can order a copy through the Webstore. https://bit.ly/3Ruy7kQ

Here’s the description of The Night Side.

Twenty years of secrets. One deadly truth.

When Ruby Carlson was eighteen, she ran away from her home in Stoneybrook, Montana, and vowed she’d never return. Never return to life under the control of her manipulative mother, Ida, a self-styled medium and psychic scammer who made a career out of ruining people’s lives. Never return to the small town where enemies lurk at every turn.

But now, twenty years later, Ruby is back. Her mother is missing, presumed dead, and Ruby reluctantly returns to a home filled with chilling memories to settle Ida’s affairs. Did she really commit suicide by drowning, or is this another dark scheme? Ruby thought she knew everything about her mother, but finds herself unraveling a web of lies and secrets to reveal a story more twisted than anyone could have imagined . . .

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M.M. DeLuca spent her childhood in Durham, England. After studying at the University of London, Goldsmiths College, she moved to Winnipeg, Canada, where she worked as a teacher, then as a freelance writer. She is the author of four other gripping suspense novels: The Savage Instinct, The Secret Sister, The Perfect Family Man and Lilah.

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Enjoy the conversation.

Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, recently welcomed Lauren Nossett to talk about her latest novel, The Professor. Nossett said it’s a novel about student/faculty relationships. You can order a signed copy through the Webstore. https://bit.ly/3GoygzK

Here’s the description of The Professor.

“The Professor is a thoroughly gripping mystery about power, ambition, and the lengths we will go to in order to succeed. Pacey and full of tension, this one will stick with you long after THE END.” –New York Times and #1 International Bestselling author, Karin Slaughter

For fans of Tana French, The Professor investigates the darkest corners of academic life: ambition, lies, and obsession.

On a spring afternoon in Athens, Georgia, Ethan Haddock is discovered in his apartment, dead, apparently by his own hand. His fatality immediately garners media attention: not because his death reflects the troubling increase of depression and mental health issues among college students, but because the media has caught the whiff of a scandal. His professor, Dr. Verena Sobek, has been taken in for questioning, and there are rumors his death is the result of a bad romance. A Title IX investigation is opened, the professor is suspended, and social media crusaders and trolls alike are out for blood.

Marlitt Kaplan never investigated love affairs. A former detective turned research assistant, she misses the excitement of her old job, but most of all the friendship of her partner, Teddy. When her mother, a professor at the university and colleague of the accused professor, asks for her help, she finds herself in the impossible position of proving something didn’t happen. Without the credentials to interview suspects or access phone records, she will have to get closer to a victim’s life than ever before. And she quickly finds herself in his apartment, having dinner with his roommates, even sleeping in his bed. But is she too close to see the truth?

In her relentless pursuit to uncover the mystery behind Ethan’s death, Marlitt will be forced to confront the power structures ingrained in the classroom against the backdrop of a historic campus and an institution that sometimes fails its most vulnerable members.

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Lauren Nossett is a professor of German language and literature. Her scholarly work has appeared in journals and edited volumes. She attended the Tin House Summer Writers’ Workshop in 2015 and 2017. The Resemblance is her first novel. She currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Enjoy the conversation.

Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, welcomed debut author Charlotte Vassell to the bookstore. The two had a fun time discussing England, Oxford, Cambridge, and all things British. There are signed copies of her debut novel, The Other Half, available in the Webstore. https://bit.ly/47D2KKb

Here’s the description of The Other Half.

You know how they live. This is how they die…

A STUNNING DEBUT FROM YOUR NEXT FAVORITE MYSTERY WRITER • Rupert’s 30th birthday party is a black-tie dinner at the Kentish Town McDonald’s—catered with cocaine and expensive champagne. The morning after, his girlfriend Clemmie is found murdered on Hampstead Heath, a single stiletto heel jutting from under a bush.

“A perfectly modern whodunnit.” —Harlan Coben, #1 New York Times bestselling author of I Will Find You

Who killed Clemmie? Was it the blithe, sociopathic boyfriend? His impossibly wealthy godmother? The gallery owner with whom Clemmie was having an affair? Or was it the result of something else entirely?

All the party-goers have alibis. Naturally. This investigation is going to be about aristocrats and Classics degrees, Instagram influencers and whose father knows who.

Or is it ‘whom’? Detective Caius Beauchamp isn’t sure. He’s sharply dressed, smart, and thoroughly modern—he discovers Clemmie’s body on his early morning jog. As he searches for the dark truth beneath the luxurious life of these London socialites, a wall of staggering wealth and privilege threatens to shut down his investigation before it’s even begun. Can Caius peer through the tangled mess of connections in which the other half live—and die—before the case is wrenched from his hands? Bitingly funny, full of shocking twists, and all too familiar, The Other Half is a truly stunning debut.

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CHARLOTTE VASSELL is a British writer living near London. She studied history at the University of Liverpool and Art History at SOAS, University of London, before training as an actor. She has also worked in advertising, executive search, and as a purveyor of silk top hats.

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This is a fascinating conversation, involving so much we don’t think about in the U.S. Check it out.

Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, recently welcomed Jeffery Deaver back to the bookstore. Isabella Maldonado was guest host for the event. Deaver appeared to talk about his latest Lincoln Rhyme novel, The Watchmaker’s Hand. There are signed copies available in the Webstore. https://bit.ly/3RkNMTn

Here’s the summary of The Watchmaker’s Hand.

The “most clever plotter on the planet”(Publishers Weekly) Jeffery Deaver returns in this twisty new thriller, as forensic criminalist Lincoln Rhyme and detective Amelia Sachs track a criminal with a bizarre and catastrophic m.o.—toppling the construction cranes in New York City.

When a New York City construction crane mysteriously collapses, causing mass destruction and injury, Rhyme and Sachs are on the case. A political group claims responsibility for the sabotage and threatens another attack in twenty-four hours, unless its demands are met. The clock is ticking.
    Then a clue reveals to Rhyme that his nemesis, known as the Watchmaker, has come to town to fulfill his promise of murdering the criminalist. Now Rhyme and Sachs have to dodge his brilliant scheme to destroy them both,  while racing against time to stop the construction site terrorists.
    With New York in a panic, Rhyme and his team must unravel a handful of plots as tightly wound as a timepiece—before more cranes fall, raining down death and destruction from above.

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Jeffery Deaver is the #1 international bestselling and award-winning author of more than forty novels, ninety short stories, and a nonfiction law book. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into twenty-five languages. A former journalist, folk singer, and attorney, he was born outside of Chicago and has a bachelor of journalism degree from the University of Missouri and a law degree from Fordham University.

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Deaver and Maldonado both say it’s difficult to talk about his books. He did offer to read from The Watchmaker’s Hand.

Tim Dorsey’s trips to The Poisoned Pen were few and far between. It’s quite a distance from Dorsey’s beloved Florida to Arizona, and Dorsey didn’t like to fly. But, he made it to the bookstore in 2017 when Clownfish Blues was out. Barbara Peters, owner of The Pen, welcomed Dorsey.

Dorsey died this week at age 62. His stories of serial killer Serge Storms were a hit with readers, and he was especially popular throughout Florida. Here’s the article from the Tampa Bay Times. https://bit.ly/3uE8zIZ

It hurts to lose another author. Tim Dorsey, may he rest in peace.

Mike Lupica has continued Robert B. Parker’s Sunny Randall series and the Jesse Stone books. Now, he kicks off Robert B. Parker’s Broken Trust, the fifty-first book in the Spenser series. There are a few signed copies of Broken Trust still in The Poisoned Pen’s Webstore. https://bit.ly/3GjRdU8 Barbara Peters, owner of the bookstore, and Lupica both had stories to tell about Robert B. Parker.

Here’s the summary of Robert B. Parker’s Broken Trust.

Spenser investigates the past secrets of an elusive tech billionaire in this latest installment of Robert B. Parker’s beloved series, and the first written by celebrated writer Mike Lupica.

Andrew Crain has it all: a brilliant scientist and astute businessman, his groundbreaking work with lithium has made him one of the world’s richest men. He is universally adored and admired; that is, until Crain’s beautiful wife, Laura, comes to Spenser hoping that he can find out what skeletons lurk in her husband’s closet. Though Crain is a generous philanthropist and loving family man, she is concerned—he has recently become secretive, bordering on paranoid, and prone to violent outbursts. This is the opposite of the man she knew, and not only does his behavior put their marriage at risk, but also a lucrative company merger that would be life-changing for the Crains, their business partner, and everyone associated. Laura wants Spenser to find out what has gotten into her husband, before it’s too late.

As Spenser digs into the billionaire’s past, he realizes that the man may have done terrible things on his rise to the top—but he also may have had good reason to. There are no clear answers here, and quickly enough, what Spenser discovers will cause him to question his own views on morality—and place him in grave danger.

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Robert B. Parker was the author of seventy books, including the legendary Spenser detective series, the novels featuring Police Chief Jesse Stone, and the acclaimed Virgil Cole-Everett Hitch Westerns, as well as the Sunny Randall novels. Winner of the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Award and long considered the undisputed dean of American crime fiction, he died in January 2010. 

Mike Lupica is a prominent sports journalist and the New York Times-bestselling author of more than forty works of fiction and nonfiction. A longtime friend to Robert B. Parker, he was selected by the Parker estate to continue the Spenser and Jesse Stone series.

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Enjoy the conversation about Robert B. Parker and Spenser.

Bernard Cornwell’s Uhtred’s Feast: Inside the World of the Lost Kingdom is the current Hot Book of the Week at The Poisoned Pen. There are signed copies of the book available through the Webstore. https://bit.ly/3QQolIc

Here’s the description of Uhtred’s Feast.

In this engaging social history New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, “the most prolific and successful historical novelist in the world today” (Wall Street Journal), completes his epic Last Kingdom series with this companion book featuring three exclusive short stories and sixty recipes that bring Uhtred’s world to life as never before.

My name is Uhtred. I am the son of Uhtred, who was the son of Uhtred and his father was also called Uhtred . . .

 The Last Kingdom is one of the most successful historical fiction series of our time. The novels tell the epic story of the birth of England and introduces one of the greatest ever fictional heroes: the iconic Uhtred of Bebbanburg, the Saxon-born, Norse-raised warrior and rebel. In this lively compendium, Bernard Cornwell revisits Uhtred’s realm, illuminating elements of the Anglo-Saxon world he couldn’t fully explore in his novels.

Uhtred’s Feast offers rich background on the books of the Last Kingdom series, presenting a fascinating, detailed view of Anglo-Saxon life in all its splendor, danger, and beauty. With his narrative flair, Cornwell explores every aspect of this historical period, from the clothes to weapons to food, offering beautifully crafted recipes of early Anglo-Saxon fare, created by renowned UK chef Suzanne Pollak. In addition, he has written three new stories exclusive to this book that reveal the man behind the shield—Uhtred as a young boy, as Alfred’s advisor, and as prince.

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BERNARD CORNWELL is the author of over fifty novels, including the acclaimed New York Times bestselling Saxon Tales, which serve as the basis for the hit Netflix series The Last Kingdom. He lives with his wife on Cape Cod and in Charleston, South Carolina.

Happy Thanksgiving! The Poisoned Pen is closed today, but you can always search the Webstore, https://store.poisonedpen.com/, or read newsletters and the blog.

If you’re in the area, you might want to stop by the bookstore on Saturday, Nov. 25 for Small Business Saturday. The latest enews says you can, “browse, chat, check out some special sales, grab some treats. Consider buying a tin of our Chai Cozy Tea and pair it with some of the Christmas cozies we offer.

However you choose to celebrate this week, thank you for supporting The Poisoned Pen.

Happy Thanksgiving!

There are only a few signed copies of Charles Cumming’s latest novel, Kennedy 35, available, so you’ll want to check with the Webstore if you’re hoping for a signed book. https://bit.ly/3ut1BX9

Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, welcomed Charles Cumming for an author event to talk about Kennedy 35, his latest spy novel. Pay attention to the conversation below about the title of the book.

Here’s a description of Kennedy 35.

A Financial Times Best Thriller of 2023

Veteran agent Lachlan Kite—“a spy for the 21st century” (Daily Mail)—reckons with the fallout from a mission in Senegal carried out early in his career.

1995: In the wake of the Rwandan genocide, 24-year-old spy Lachlan Kite and his girlfriend, Martha Raine, are sent to Senegal on the trail of a hunted war criminal. The mission threatens to spiral out of control, forcing Kite to make choices which will have devastating consequences not only for his career at top-secret intelligence agency BOX 88, but also for his relationship with Martha.

2023: Eric Appiah, an old friend from Kite’s days at school and an off-the-record BOX 88 asset, makes contact with explosive information about what happened all those years ago in West Africa. When tragedy strikes, Kite must use all the resources at his disposal to protect Martha from a criminal network with links to international terror.

Charles Cumming once again straddles two timelines to create a high-tension thriller in this latest Lachlan Kite novel.

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Charles Cumming is a British writer of spy fiction. He was educated at Eton College (1985-1989) and the University of Edinburgh (1990-1994), where he graduated with 1st Class Honors in English Literature. He had been described as “the best of the new generation of British spy writers who are taking over where John le Carré and Len Deighton left off.”

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Enjoy the conversation.

If you are a fan of Clanlands by Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish, you might want to accompany them to New Zealand in this week’s Hot Book of the Week at The Poisoned Pen. Clanlands in New Zealand is subtitled “Kiwis, Kilts, and an Adventure Down Under”. The Pen’s copies, available through the Webstore, are signed by Heughan, McTavish, and Diana Gabaldon. https://bit.ly/3QDHsVu

Here’s the description of Clanlands in New Zealand.

With a forward by Sir Peter Jackson.

Buckle up, grab a dram, and get ready for another unforgettable wild ride.
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They’re back! Stars of? Outlander, Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish are no strangers to the rugged beauty of Scotland. But this time they’re setting their sights on a new horizon: New Zealand.
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Join our intrepid Scotsmen on their latest epic adventure across The? Land of the Long White Cloud in this thrilling follow-up to?Clanlands. Setting out to explore a country that Graham calls home, and that Sam has longed to visit, these sturdy friends immerse themselves in all that New Zealand has to offer: stunning landscapes, rich history, world-class food and drink, and – much to Graham’s mounting anxiety and Sam’s deep satisfaction – famously adrenaline-fuelled activities! As ever there’s not nearly enough space in their trusty camper van and with plenty of good-natured competition and tormenting to go around, Sam and Graham’s friendship is put to the test once again.?Along the way we learn about the length and breadth of this jewel of the Southern Seas, exploring the fascinating story of its people while testing the very limits of Graham’s sanity.
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Like the very best buddy movie sequel, this latest installment is full of unforgettable experiences and loveable characters and promises to be an even more memorable ride with two of the most entertaining travel companions around.
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So, say goodbye to your inhibitions and kia ora to New Zealand like you’ve never seen it before.